Intermission
by AllisonNyx
Summary: Short, two chapter intermission to my series of Phantom of the Opera stories. Antoine Daae, Christine's father, has met the angel of music before...


The Angel of Music

-Intermission: Part 1-

The Paris streets never shined bright for Daddy Daae. They were dark, damp streets that pained the old man's heart with thoughts of home. Those Scandinavian skylines that he so missed preyed on his mind all the day and night. It was nights like these, where the moon was bright and big, that he couldn't stay locked in his Paris home. He left his young Christine with Mamma Valerius for good keeping while he took to the streets with his precious violin.

Heads turned as they were passed by the enchanting music he played as he walked down the streets. He played to bring back the sights of his homeland, and to feel the hand of his darling wife again. How he missed her! Those blue eyes and golden hair...his Christine was just like her. His little prodigy was the only blessing the old man felt he had earned in this life. She was in her eighth year now, and what a beauty she was. Her voice was unmatched by any angel Heaven could conjure.

The musician soon found himself in front of the grand Théâtre National de l'Opéra . It stood tall and menacing- captivating in ever way. It had not opened yet, in fact, they had just unveiled the finished shell of the building a year ago. Antoine Daae, the great violinist, couldn't help himself. He had heard that the design was that of a genius, a man named Garnier. But more then that, rumor had it, Garnier was only the face of the design. The true designer had preferred to stay anonymous.

Antoine, being the curious creature he was, found his way inside. It was like another world! The walls and pillars formed a labyrinth of a skeleton inside. The musician began to make his way through the jungle of stone when he heard a voice. Beautiful, pure...it washed over Antoine like an ocean. It spoke no words but vibrated a melody so sweet the violinist could not breath. It echoed softly through the building.

He tried to follow the voice but he could not find it! It would echo from behind, then from above, sometimes he felt it was right next to his ear. Finally, the exhausted man sat on a marble step, which would soon be the grand staircase, and placed his violin under his chin. He began to play along with the voice. Magic. Their sounds together were like sparkling sorcery that was made to hypnotize all passerbys.

Eventually the voice stopped. Antoine drew his song to a soft ending. His thoughts had gone back to his childhood, so many years ago. His mother had told him of an angel- an angel of music. She had told him God would every so often smile down on a particular soul, and bless them with a visit from this angel. After that, that blessed person would always have the gift of music. Surely, this had been a dream he conjured to cure his depression. To remind him of home.

"You are an accomplished musician, sir." Antoine jumped to his feet. Behind him stood a man in all black. In this dark building with only peeping moonlight he could not make out the features, but the man wore a large hat and billowing cloak which sparkled in the pale light.

"And you have a voice unlike any I have ever heard. If I am right in thinking that you do in fact own the voice I heard." Antoine did not know why he quivered as he spoke. He felt he was int he presence of some great deity...he was different.

"Not many have heard my voice. I expect it was certainly unlike anything you _have _ever heard." The man walked pass the violinist. Antoine dropped his eyes to the floor as he passed. Why did he feel he should not meet eyes with this singer? "I do believe this place is off limits to the public. Construction is underway as you can see. It might be...dangerous." His voice did not sound menacing, but reserved.

"Yes, sir, I understand...but I could not help myself. This building is like Heaven. I felt as if it called to me. When music calls, sir...you cannot ignore it." Antoine gave a glance to his violin. It was all he had to keep his grasp on the world. Without it, he could never be there for his daughter. The man had stopped as Antoine spoke. He looked back over his shoulder slowly.

"No...you cannot. That is certain." Though he only spoke, it was as if chimes were trickling through the vast space they stood in. Antoine was entranced by this man, if he was even a man. For he seemed to be much more then that.

"Please, sir. If you will forgive me...who are you?" Antoine could barely hide the tremble in his voice. The more and more he spoke to this man the more he believed it could very well be the angel his mother spoke of. The man's eyes met the violinists. Antoine took in a gasp. The man wore a mask, pale and hard. His eyes were blacked out- only brightened by the two, dark shining eyes that sparkled behind the mask.

"I am nothing. Simply a phantom that lurks these corridors. The music calls to me as well, that is why I take my residence here. For one day, music will echo in the halls. And perhaps that is when I will find purpose." The man seemed to lose himself in thought, his eyes never releasing Antoine. Without even being blinded by a momentary blink, the man disappeared. Antoine finally took a deep breath. He heard the voice echoing through the halls once more. Pure ecstasy was evoked by that voice.

That night Antoine came home, the voice still haunting his mind. When Mamma Valerius asked how his walk went, he replied with a distant look in his eye, "Tonight, I have been visited by the angel. The angel of music!"


End file.
